Wichita eagle., 1887-01-09
THE NATIONS CAPITAL.
To the Editor Of the Eagle.

is GalI over, IOT tNere VIII Dc no CesSdtioI
in the round Of winter gayeties from now
on until the present session is ended. Re
ceptions at o'clock, teas, dinners and
balls viii follow each ether in that bewild
ering succession which is at once the de
light Of the youthful debutante whose roses
are still freshly blooming, and the dispaiI
of older heads and hearts which have lived
long enough to see the folly of fashionable
dissipation, but who have not the moral
courage or self-sacrifice enough to give ii
up. Nobody who has lived in the gay
world likes to relinquish it, unless it be
some morbid misanthrope whose impaired
digestion makes everything around him
look dismal and grim. And so in despite
Of the pains and fatigues which society ex-
acts, young social leaders still keep on in the
giddy whirl, often enduring an actual mar
tyrdom worthy of a better cause
1t is said that Mrs Cleveland quite cap
tivated the hearts Of all upon New Years
day ana especially of the veterans of the
G. A r., who called at the white house,
with her grace Of manners and winning
smiles. The presidents wife is certainly
a power behind the throne, and the luckiest
thing that Uncle Grover ever did was
when he ren0unced old bachelordom and
| got married
Secretary Bayard had no easy task upon
| his mind when the ladies of the cabinet and
the senator's wives appealed to him to de-
| eide as to which should be awarded social
prc-eminence over the other, and who
should humble herself by first calling upon
her neighbor instead Of sitting in state
regally arrayed to receive that neighbours
first visit iD token Of superior position. In
years past the ladies of the cabinet always
made the first call upon the senator's wives,
but since the presidential succession bill
which renders any secretarys wife liable to
be called upon TO preside as mistress in the
white house the ladies Of the cabinet have
insisted that they should take precedence
of the ladies of the senate. Bat the latter
steadily decline to give ground, and
athou gh there was much feeling and a
great deal Of feminine gossip over this
phase Of social etiquette the ladies of the
cabinet have been obliged to yield the point
and to smle upon their fair rivals as sweet
ly as ever as thay make the first calls and
wish them a happy New Year There is
many a thorn lurking among the roses
which lie scattered profusely upon the
threshold Of upper-tendom, but your ac-
complished woman of the world can smile
in the midst of defeat and never betray her
pain although she treads upon thorn.
An amusing incident occurred the other
day when one Of tie rural members hay
ing received a card for a ) O'Clock tea ar
rived little after the hour named and
anXiously inquired of the flunkv who
opened the door, if the family had sat
down to the table and were through sup
per- Evidently they did not have ) O. Clock
teas in that place from which the rural
member comes, and he expected a good
square meal with plenty of hot buttered |
toast and 'fixias, instead of cold sand |
wich plentifully spread with the compli-
ments Of the season
The British minister gives ball this |
week in honor of the debut in society of |
his youngest daughter, Miss Amelia West |
who is the only lovely woman of the
family. As is wellknown the British |
minister is wislower and his household is |
gracefully presided over by his eldest
daughter, Miss Victoria West, who enjoys |
the reputation of being the handsemest |
woman in the diplomatic corps She is
brunette with dark hair and dark blue |
eyes. Her second sister. Miss Flora made |
her debut two years ago at the annual ball |
which is given each winter The British
dancing viii begin at $50, which
is considered to be au unheard of hour by |
those who give Germans that begin little
before midnight. Bat thus runs the world |
away
All of January will lie devoted to making
calls by those ladies who find it a matter Of |
conscience or delight to pass their time in |
visiting their friends Mrs Cleveland will |
have two card receptions on Tuesdays and |
Thursdays of each week and one public |
one on Saturdays during the month.
Dancing parties also are expected at the
White House, fact which has awakened |
considerable discussion among certain di-
vines who are opposed to this popular
The ladies Of the supreme court receive
their friends on Mondays, and the ladies of /
the cabinet ON Wednesdays
Mrs Langtry is bewitching the Wash
with her beauty and her art, and
the Boston Ideal opera troupe. among
whom is pretty Mile de Lussan, are also
here for fortnight The Jersey Lilly and
the Ideals are all at the Arlington. where
stars Of greater or less degrees are sure TO
be found twiukling in the social SKY
during the gay season.
\ KANSAS GIRL.
HAVEN HAPPENINGS.